QAR is the relationship between questions and their answers. Students classify questions based on where they got the information needed to answer the question. These answers can range from explicit (stated directly in the text), implicit (inferred in the text), and information based on a students' background knowledge.
QAR helps students realize that not all answers are directly stated in the text. It helps them become readers who connect information from their life to what they read. It also helps them develop higher level thinking skills as the move away from the "right there" questions.
There are 4 types of QAR:
Right There -- The answer is found in the text. The words in the question and words in the answer are usually in the same sentence. The reader can highlight the answer. These are usually the "who", "what", "list" or "name" type questions.
Think and Search -- The answer is found in the text. The words in the question and answer are not in the same sentence. The reader has to put together different parts of text to get the answer. These are usually the "summarize", "explain", "compare" or "contrast" type of questions.
Author and Me -- The answer is not found in the text. The reader puts together what the author provides and information the reader already knows to answer the question. This might be a "how can you tell" question where the reader knows the background knowledge from reading and now applies it to a situation.
On My Own -- The reader does not use the text at all to answer the question. The answer is based on the reader's opinions and experiences. This question asks the student to defend his or her opinion with the text.
How can I use it in class?
Students can analyze questions BEFORE answering them to think about how they would answer the questions.
Have students write their own questions in the QAR format. This will cause them to interact with the text in a different manner.
Using the "Author and Me" and "On my Own" questions help students connect the text to life and their own thoughts which are higher on Bloom's Taxonomy.
Question Answer Relationship (QAR)
QAR is the relationship between questions and their answers. Students classify questions based on where they got the information needed to answer the question. These answers can range from explicit (stated directly in the text), implicit (inferred in the text), and information based on a students' background knowledge.
QAR helps students realize that not all answers are directly stated in the text. It helps them become readers who connect information from their life to what they read. It also helps them develop higher level thinking skills as the move away from the "right there" questions.
There are 4 types of QAR:
How can I use it in class?
Resources
QAR Information and resources
QAR Concept Map
QAR Graphic Organizer
Information and sample QAR
Information and sample QAR
Bloom's Taxonomy and QAR categories
FORPD QAR Information
QAR Information